Races - 2014

I still just love running races!! I did 15 races in 2014! Some were awesome and some were painful! Some were walked, some were run and one was practically crawled! So here they are!

January

Hot Chocolate 5K in Atlanta was my first race of 2014. This was a blast because a big group of us spent the night in Atlanta and went out to dinner. I had my appendix out just a few weeks before this race so I walked it. Jennie Huddleston walked with me and we had a great time enjoying the sites!

February

Heart Hustle 5K was a school race at my my grandsons' school. JJ was my running buddy during this race and it was lots of fun. Denise and the boys all did this race!

Run the Reagan in Snellville was my first 10K of the year...second one ever! I went to this one with Jennifer and my cousin Jen Scott. We spent the night and had a great time! It was extremely cold and there was snow in the parking lots! 

March

Pirate's Run 5K was a at Maggie's school. Tammie Curtis was at this race. I made a wrong turn when running this race! I won 2nd place in my age group. The medals were so cool because the students made them! 

Cherry Blossom 10K in Macon was a nice country run. I did this one with Denise Burrell and we had so much fun! Our finishers snack was pink iced Krispy Kreme donuts! 

April

Color Run was the first race that all my grandchildren participated in. Kennedy was very cold and sleepy, as you can see. There was no way any of us could stay together...the kids ran off wide open so their moms had to try to keep up with them. Renee Stephens, the boys' other grandmother, and I were trying to keep up with JJ. I had to stop and wait in a very long line at the bathroom so I was way behind everyone else.....waaaayyy behind! I was so excited when I saw Jennie Huddleston and her friend! I finished the race with them and we had so much fun!!! 

Biggest Loser RunWalk race at Six Flags in Atlanta was the bomb diggety! Jennifer took me to this race. I was supposed to run the 10K but I down graded to a 5K due to all the hills and my knee was acting up. We got to run with some previous Biggest Loser contestants and another big celebrity (in our eyes) Denise Burrell! I love, love, love the Biggest Loser TV show! It inspires me to workout and lose weight. I binge watch all the old episodes. I watch at least one every day! 

May

Hope Glows 5K in Griffin was so much fun! Denise and I did this one together. Lori Harrison also did this one. As you can see in the picture, we are all three wearing knee braces! 

June

Michael's Marathon was the first race that I ran for my little running buddy Rain Chang. My daughter Jennifer has found an organization called I Run 4 that matches special needs children and adults with runners. She has been running for Erica for quite some time. I really wanted a running buddy, too. I stayed on the waiting list for 8 months! Finally, I got matched with Rain! I just love her and her sweet mom Jenny! Every race since then has been dedicated to Rain as well as my regular walks, runs and workouts. The I Run 4 group has virtual races. You chose the distance and the time and you receive 2 medals...one for you and one for your buddy. Rain is wearing the first medal from our first race together! I chose to run a 5K for this race. I think about and pray for Rain and her family when I walk/run. I thank God for the  privilege or running for her! 

July

Peach Fuzz Road Race 5K was for a race that I just made up for all of us who didn't get to do the Peachtree Road Race! Jessica Rowell, Denise and her boys and Jennifer's kids (except for KeeKee) all ran this race with me in Concord. It was a ton of fun on this hot Georgia day in July! I am counting this as one of my 2014 races!! For sure!

Declaration of Run-Dependence 5K was another virtual I RUN 4 race. I just ran this one around where I live in Hollonville. Rain also has one of these medals.

I did not run any races during August and September. It was crazy hot and I was very busy at school.

October

Michelob Ultra Half-Marathon and Lifetime 5K in Cumming was AWESOME! Jennifer took me on this one, too. We went out to dinner and spent the night. Jennifer and Denise ran the half....Denise's first one! Heather and I ran the 5K. I was very excited because I won 2nd place in my age group! 

Jack-O-Lantern Jog 5K is the race that my daughter Denise's school does each year. This was my third year doing it and it is one of my favorites! As you can see, the grand kids ran this one, too! Some of our sweet friends also ran this fun race! 

November

Erica's Walk for a Cure was a race that Jennifer had in Concord to raise money for a cure for the disease that her running buddy Erica has. Erica has a walk every year, actually, and Jennifer wanted to support her by having one here. It was a cold and blustery day. I used this race as my I Scream, You Scream virtual 5K. I sent medals to both Erica and Rain.

Rock n Roll Half Marathon Relay in Savannah was the race that I looked forward to for months! We took all the husbands and kids down for a weekend of fun! Except I didn't have much fun. The day we traveled down, my stomach started hurting so bad. I stayed up all night with it and debated about even going. Denise encouraged me to go and wound up dragging me most of the 7 miles of my leg of the race! It turned out to be gastritis but it kept me from running, eating and having a good time. I am forever grateful to Denise for encouraging me to do this race. I've had an endoscopy done since the race and the Aleve that I had taken while training for this race had destroyed my stomach lining. It took all of November and December to get back to normal. I decided to stick to running 5Ks for a while. The long runs cause me pain which causes me to take pain relievers. In 2015, I plan to walk/run as many 5Ks as I have time and money to do!